Package-sealing machine.



' E. L. WALKEFL' PACKAGE SEALING MACHINE. A APPLICATION FILED JAN.I9.1917.

1 Q'YU 5YQW; I Patented June 25, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. L. WALKER.

PACKAGE SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILEDJAN. 1 9. 1917'.

Patented J 1111625, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I ENEMY L. WALKER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR '10 KIECKI-IEFER BOX COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PACKAGE-SEALING- MACHINE.

Patented June 25, 191W.

Application filed January 19, 1917. Serial No. 143,255.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, vEMERY L. VVALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Package- Sealing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica- 'tion.

My invention relates to package sealing machines and is designed for use in connection With the sealing of the ends of paper box forms. Thesepaper box forms which are contemplated herein are made of the heavier grades of paper or card board, presser board, or corrugated stock. and are to be used as containers for materials having a substantial weight. Consequently these boxes must be of strong material and it is generally imperative that end flaps be pressed tightly together at their abutting edges prior to the sealing operation so that the box end is substantially closed.

In practice, the sealing machines are placed in shipping rooms where the containers are used and these containers or boxes are delivered to the shipping room so constructed *collapsed box forms is to open them up.

press the end flaps into position at one end of the box and seal the end flaps. The box is then ready to be filled. If the sealing of one end would have to be done at the factory where the boxes were made, then of course an enormous amount of space would be required to ship these containers. For this reason the desirability of shipping these containers with the four sides in such condition that they can be collapsed is apparent. In the shipping rooms, of course, non-skilled labor is used to form and seal the ends of these boxes.

My invention consists in the provision or a simple sealing machine using a pair of platens so designed that unskilled labor can be utilized for sealing the box ends. It is necessary during this sealing operation. as before stated, to press the end flaps toward each other. and the object of my invention is to provide a platen structure so that man- .ual manipulation of these end flaps is possible to press them together just prior to the sealing operation.

I will describe my invention more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the platen structure;

Fig. 4: is a modified form thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view partly broken away to illustrate the platen operating mechanism.

My improved machine contemplates a framework having the struts l united by stringers 2. thus to form a rectangular structure, which structure is supported upon suitable legs 8. Cross pieces t are provided at the top and extend between the stringers 2. these cross pieces supporting vertically arranged bearings 5, 5. These vertically arranged bearings carry slidably mounted stems 6, which stems carry platens 7 at their lower extremity. Suitable springs 8 tend to hold these platens together with their stems in an upward position, such for instance. as shown at the two opposite extrenr ities of Fig. 1. In order to move the plunger and the platen 7 downwardly I pro-- vide a cam fixedly mounted upon a stem 10, which stem is secured between fingers 11,- 11 extending upwardly from the bearings A suitable handle 12 fixedly secured to the cam may be used to rotate the cam. This cam engages the upper extremity of the spindie 6, and thus when the handle 12 (Fig. 2) is moved in a contra-clockwise direction, the spindle and hence its connected platen is moved downwardly. The arrangement of the cam and spindle is such that when the platen has been moved downwardly at or near its limiting position the cam locks the structure in that position so as to hold it in place. There is secured to the cam also a crank arm 13. which crank arm through the agency of the link 14: may be operated by the foot pedal 15. This pedal is pivoted upon a bracket 16 extending downwardly from the framework of the machine and engages a second link 17. which link 17 is interposed between the link 14 and the foot lever 15. Thus when the foot lever 15 of Fig. 2 is moved from its upward position contra-clockwise to its lower position, the

cam 9 and handle 12 corresponding thereto are also moved in a contra-clockwise direction. Thus the platen 7 can be moved downwardly either through the agency of the the framework of the machine. A stop 22 is provided upon the stem 19 to limit its forward tilting movement as is apparent from the illustration of Fig. 2, and a spring catch 23 holds the stem 19 normally in its vertical position. operates with the notch 24 in such manner that merely the pull exerted upon the platen 18 to move it in a.contra-clockwise direction is suflicient to release this pin from the notch 24. This spring pressed pin thus merely serves as a yielding holding means for the stem and plunger. The stem 19 also has at its lower extremity a framework 25 adapted to support the lower unfolded extremities of a box form 26 when same is placed over the platen 18. v

It will be noted that the upper platen 7 as more clearly apparent from Fig. 3, is

smaller in size than the outer outline of the box form, the purpose of which will presently appear. In the normal operation of the machine the box form with both ends unfolded is placed over the platen 18, which platen at that particular time is tilted forwardly toward the operator. The framework 25 limits the downward movement of this box form. Thereupon, the loose box ends are folded over, the edges of the platen 18 serving to control the bendin along a straight line. After the box flaps have. been folded and adhesive is applied, the stem 19 is swung backwardlyinto its vertical position, whereupon the operator through the use of hishands presses the end flaps of the box' together as shown in Fig. 3, at the same time operating the foot lever 15 to bring the upper platen downwardly and seal the box end flaps together. The cam 9 looks the platens together so that the sealing action may take place, during which time the operator passes to the next unit of the machine and duplicates his actions. He then passes on to the next unit, and so on, finally coming back to the first unit where the adhesive has set. Then through the agency of the handle 12 he releases the platen 7, swings the stem 19 toward himself and removes the box whose one end by that time is completely closed and sealed.

Itis important, of course, that the outer box end flaps have their meeting edges abut.

This spring pressedpin 23 coas placed upon the lower platen.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modified form of platen 7 which has the cut-away portion 27 to permit proper use of the hands during the operation of placing the flaps together. The meeting line of the flaps both in Figs. 3 and 4 is shown at 24.

From what has been described the nature of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

Having however thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a box end sealing machine the combination with a pair of relatively movable platens, a supporting structure therefor whereby relative motion may be imparted to the platens so that a box form may be placed upon one of said platens without'interference from the other platen, means for .moving and looking one of said platens whereby said platens are adapted to seal the overlapping ends of a box structure placed therebetween by pressing the overlapping ends between them, one of said platens being within the box form and the other platen without, the outer configuration of said latter platen being such as to permit a portion ofthe folded end of the box form to remain exposed for purposes of manual manipulation of the end flaps of said box form during the time the platens are being moved into their limiting sealing position.

2. In a'box end sealing machine the combination with a pair of relatively movable platens, a supporting structure therefor whereby relative motlon may be imparted to the platens so that a box form may be placed upon one of said platens without interference from 'the otherplaten, means for moving and locking one of said platens whereby said platens are adapted to seal the overlapping ends of a box structure placed therebetween by pressing the overlapping ends between them, one of said platens being within the box form and the other platen without, the outer configuration of said latter platen being such as to permit a portion of the folded end of the box form to remain exposed for purposes of manual manipulation of the end flaps of said box form during the time the'platens are being-moved into their sealing position, the said platen which is adapted to be within the box form having edge portions substantially parallel to the sides of the box.

form to permit folding of the box flaps into their limiting sealing position.

3. In a box end sealing machine thecombination with a pair of relatively movable platens, a supporting structure therefor whereby relative motion maybe imparted to the platens so that a box form may be placed upon one of said platens without interference from the other platen, m'eansfor moving andlocking one of said platens whereby said platens are adapted to seal the overlapping ends of .a box structure placed therebetween by pressing the overlapping ends between them, one of said platens being Within the box form and the other platen 'Without,:the-0uter configuration of said latter platen being such as .to permit a i 2 0 portion of the folded end of the box form to remain exposed for purposes of manual manipulation of the end flaps of said box a form during the time theiplatens'are being moved into their sealingposition', the said.

platen which is adapted to b'e-vvithinthe box form having edgeportionssnbstantially parallel to the sides of the boxfform to permit folding of the box flaps .into their limiting sealing position, said outer platen having cut-away portions to accommodate the fin said overlapping EMERY L. WALKER.

Witnesses: LETTAaJ. FRENCH, a

P. J. FREEMAN 

